How “Control Code” Mistakes Can Wreck Game Translations
Game translation involves more than just text. If you're not careful, you could end up with problems like these.
How a Quote in Final Fantasy IX Became More Famous in English Than Japanese
This beloved quote references two past Final Fantasy heroes. But what does it say in Japanese?
How a Rare Message in Final Fantasy II/IV Got Messed up in Translation
This is the perfect example of an obscure line of text getting mishandled in translation.
How Final Fantasy VI’s Secret “Scrap of Paper Scene” Works in Japanese
Banon has a somewhat secret line in Final Fantasy VI. What does he say in the Japanese version?
How Final Fantasy’s Infamous “I Will Knock You All Down!” Quote Worked in Japanese
Final Fantasy features one of the most famous game quotes from the NES era. But what did it originally say in Japanese?
How Items and Names Get Sorted in Japanese Games
The first Final Fantasy game organizes items in a weird order, but why? And how are words sorted in Japanese anyway?
How Japanese Ellipsis Usage Compares with English
Play any Japanese game and you'll probably find an avalanche of ellipses. What's the deal?
How Kefka’s Famous “Son of a Submariner” Works in Japanese
Final Fantasy VI features one of the series' most famous and iconic lines. But what did it originally say in Japanese?
How Quina’s “S/he” Pronoun is Handled in Japanese Final Fantasy IX
Pronouns are easily avoided in Japanese, but what happens when you translate pronoun-less text into English?
I Had to Write a Final Fantasy Fanfic for Square
When I applied for a translation job at Square long ago, I didn't realize they'd ask me to write fan fiction!